Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Where the heck have you been?

I intended to take several days away from blogging over the holiday, but once I disconnected I found it hard to get back online. I realized how good it felt just to rest and relax.

Mostly, I just played with the kids, who are on their winter break. As Glow would say, we got our craft on.

Pure joy.

We made snowflakes

We painted

and decoupaged (is that a word?)

I even picked up projects I'd put down years ago

(this is a small section of a large cross-stitch of an Amish farm)

But we didn't just craft. We did a jigsaw puzzle and put together Legos and took silly videos of the kitties. We went to Denver and loved on our family there, and they loved on us.

We played in the snow

and got some cool new hats

Here's what I realized. This past year and a half has been full of so much heavy stuff. Heavy realizations, heavy responsibilities, heavy emotions. And there's more ahead.

To spend a couple of weeks playing and immersing myself in activities that were simply joyful was such a welcome relief. Writing brings me joy, too, but sometimes blogging can feel like another responsibility. Maybe you can relate?

I noticed something else, too. The more I relaxed, the more my diet improved. I began craving healthy organic food. Perhaps I could finally hear what my body has been trying to tell me all along.

I began to meditate again, something I used to do often many years ago. I took salt baths and wrote in my journal. I cleaned out files and rearranged the furniture. I bought fresh flowers.

I made a vision board

I realized something else, too.

I really missed you guys.

I'm wishing each of you a 2012 that is filled with everything your soul craves.

Firstly, your hats are AMAZEBALLS.I haven't blogged over the Christmas break with the exception of putting up a FYBF post, today was my first day back. Like you, I missed it but it was really nice to be away for nearly two weeks, and just be with my family, play in the sandpit, go out with my mum and, of course, get my craft on :PHere's hoping 2012 is brilliant for you, Kristin. See you in March x

Beautiful post...yes, it is so refreshing to step away sometimes and feed the soul. Sometimes I go off on 10 day meditation courses and find that I haven't missed too much in the blog world when I return and it is always refreshing to reconnect again. I hope all is well with you and happy 2012! I wish you only wonderful things this year and beyond!!!!

Wishing you all the best for 2012. Thanks for keeping me entertained on Words with Friends. So tell me, how do you manage the 400+ point scores and I don't? You seem to kick my arse every time! (well, mostly...) lol.You aren't going to like me for this, but I also won an Uberkate Pendant from Mrs Woog ;) If I ever win another one, I'll send it your way. I hope the coming weeks and months pass quickly for you and the kids and that you'll end up on top. 2012 has a good vibe.

I've missed the crew (including you), but I haven't really missed blogging much. Every time I take time away I realise how much blogging kind of gets in the way of life. It seems to be an addiction like any other. Some can't ever stop at one...

I can't agree with you more - grounding yourself and the children is so relaxing and what life is all about. Maybe it's the time of year for realisations. My post is about that too as well as meditation and dreaming. Please pop by and leave the link that it asks for. x

How blissful. That's largely how we spent our Christmas - New Year break, just hanging out at home. After I got over the guilt of feeling we should be doing something more (I don't know why - we'd just had two awesome holidays in the previous month), I enjoyed it as much as the kids. It's summer here, so we made the most of the weather to swim outdoors and then relax in the air-con and watch movies, play games and read our Christmas books. I only posted once or twice and was hardly on twitter at all. It was lovely. Isn't it great when you can put reality on hold and just enjoy the company of your little humans? Best fun ever. Happy 2012 darling, and may it bring good things for all of us. xo

Days of creative pursuits, games, and snow! Divine. Sometimes you just need to switch direction to get a fresh feeling for things. Then, when you return to what you set aside, that feels fresh, too. Thank you for being such an inspiration.

Yep blogging is a chore as well as s delight. but i'm not sure where that sense of responsibility comes from? Certainly not our readers - do they care or even notice if we miss a few days or even a week?M2M

No matter how passionate we feel about work, sometmes we also need a break from it. As we are human beings, routine makes us a robot and we get restless. So once in a while a break is must and thats nice to know you realised it. Wish you also a blessed and Happy New Year 2012.